Silence
by Shiningeyes
Summary: What would happen if a certain dark tabby killed Firestar and took over the four Clans of the lake? Fire can't save the Clan now. Begins in Sunset
1. Prologue, Tigerstar's Return

Okay, I don't own Warriors. And if you think I'm copying you, it's a coincidence.

This story is about what would happen if Tigerstar posessed Bramblclaw, killed Firestar, and took over the Clans. The prologue is below, and then the real story starts. Thanks for coming, hope you like the story!

* * *

It was dark. Four shadows made their way down the sloped stone walls surrounding the Moonpool.

The cats padded down softly, not making a sound, to the water that shone like a mirror in the starlight.

"_Oh, StarClan, show me what you mean!"_ Leafpool prayed silently to Silverpelt.

The four cats lapped up the water in the pool and fell asleep.

Leafpool woke up with a shiver. The warm night had turned cold, and no dreams had come. The tabby she-cat glanced up at the stars above. They glittered coldly.

"Let's go home. StarClan has nothing to share with us," Said Littlecloud.

The cats walked back home, and Leafpool wondered, _"Is StarClan angry with us?"_

* * *

_Brambleclaw's eyes rolled back in his_ head. He fell over. Then, his tail twitched. The dark tabby jumped up to his paws, shook the sand out of his fur, and padded over to the flame-colored cat that lay on the ground, his final lives bleeding out of him.

"Bramble... claw... save..." Firestar rasped, fighting for his last breaths.

"Nobody can save you know, puny kittypet," the huge tom sneered. "I have, in the end, triumphed."

"Tigerstar?... Please... don't..." Firestar mewed, fear and in his eyes.

With one smooth movement, Tigerstar preformed the fatal flick of the claws that had ripped all his nine lives away.

Firestar shuddered once, then he lay still forever.

"Father," Hawkfrost dipped his head as he approached Tigerstar.

"Go, Hawkfrost, and take RiverClan and ShadowClan for your own. Together we will rule the forest."

Hawkfrost disappeared behind a hill as he ran towards the other end of the lake.

Tigerstar had finally achieved what he had wanted. He ran into the camp, and Squirrelflight raced over to him.

"Brambleclaw, did you find Firestar?"

"Your father is dead." Tigerstar barely managed to hide his grin as the she-cat yowled in pain and sadness and anger.

"Squirrelflight, what...?" The little tabby she-cat padded quickly over to her sister.

"Leafool, oh Leafpool, Firestar is... He's dead!" Squirrelflight gasped.

"What?!" Leafpool looked positively shocked. "He can't be! He was young, and strong, and..." She turned slowly and glared at Tigerstar.

"You! You killed him! You..." She looked into his eyes. "Y-you're not Brambleclaw... You're... Tigerstar!"

"Yes, I am. You have no leader. Your deputy is gone. I shall be your leader."

"You can't! StarClan would never, ever let you! You're dead! You don't have nine lives!"

"SILENCE!" Tigerstar roared. "I do not need nine lives." He glared at the warriors who were approaching, claws out and ready to pounce. "Try to kill me, and Brambleclaw dies too."

"Don't!" Squirrelflight slapped Cloudtail's nose with her tail. "Do as he says." Squirrelflight bowed her head and backed away into the warriors' den, Leafpool trailing close after her. Grief-filled wails came from underneath the branches of the bush.

Tigerstar looked away and then leaped onto the Highledge. "Now, I want a fighting patrol ready. Dustpelt, you shall be deputy."

"Yes, Tigerstar." Dustpelt padded silently to the place where Brambleclaw used to sit, near the Highledge.

As the cats gathered themselves into the patrol, Tigerstar walked into Firestar's old den. He settled himself down on the moss, and plotted his rising to the leader of the forest cats.


	2. Dealing With It

**Here's Chapter 2. Thanks for the reviews!**

**Nightclaw- That's why it's called Silence. You'll see in a few chapters. And sorry if you got confused.**

**And yeah, I got that from the whole medicine-cats-can-tell-ow-many-lives-the-leaders-have thing.**

**Maybe... But I think Sqiurrelflight will do anything to protect Brambleclaw, or whatever's left of him.**

**Icestar of MistClan- Thanks! And sorry about the scene with Firestar, again. I just kind of type without thinking.**

**dragontama9511- Thanks! And I'll try to update every week if I can!**

**And this chapter might seem a little LeafxSorrel, but I didn't mean it to come out that way. They're just friends. Really good ones that would die for each other if they had to.**

**No I don't own warriors, and I'm not Erin Hunter.**

* * *

"No! No! Why Firestar!" Squirrelflight wailed.

"Squirrelflight, calm down. Please." Leafpool could feel the grief for Firestar pierce her heart.

"I can't... Our father was always there for us, however much he seemed like a bossy furball. What will we do now?!"

Leafpool pressed her muzzle to her sister's fur. "I'm going to the moonpool tonight. StarClan will tell me." _I hope,_ she silently added, remembering the silence at the last half moon.

"You stay there, I'll get you some poppy seed."

Leafpool padded into the medicine den and then gave the seeds to Squirrelflight. As she was grooming her sister's fur, she heard a yowl.

"Tigerstar requests to see Leafpool!"

"I'm coming!"

Leafpool ran to the rockfall and took a deep breath, then climbed up and went inside the cave.

Tigerstar's scent had already overpowered Firestar's. Leafpool felt another pang of sadness hit her. Her father was gone forever. She took another deep breath and forced herself to sit and look into Tigerstar's eyes.

"Yes, Tigerstar?"

"Leafpool, have you received a sign from StarClan?"

"No," She replied. _Except for the blood will spill blood prophecy, _She thought to herself. _Does it have _two_ meanings now?_

"Well tell me if you do." The dark tabby growled. "You may go now."

So she hopped down the rockfall. Leafpool decided to go check on Sorreltail.

At least in the nursery, Leafpool felt a sense of comfort.

"Leafpool, is it true?" Sorreltail asked her, blinking sleep from her eyes.

"About Tigerstar? Yes."

"But he can't have! Cats just don't come back to life!"

"He has. But I'm not going to let him harm you, or your kits." Leafpool glanced quickly out of the entrance to the nursery. "As soon as you and the kits can travel, I'm taking as many cats as I can to a new home."

"But this is the place StarClan has chosen for us. They can't want us to leave the lake now!"

"Well, we're going to have to go if we don't want Tigerstar to murder our Clan one by one." Leafpool was acting more serious than she usually was, and Sorreltail realized that what she was saying was true: If they wanted to live, they had to run far, far away. Maybe back towards the old forest, even.

"Don't worry Sorreltail, I'll do all I can to keep you and the kits safe." Leafpool promised her friend. She gave her a lick between the ears and then said more loudly, "Your kits are doing fine, Sorreltail. I'll check up on you tomorrow!" She padded out of the den, doing her best to ignore the amber gaze of Tigerstar. She shivered, she could feel that StarClan was upset about this. The balance of the forest was shifting, and there seemed to be absolutely nothing StarClan could do about it.


	3. Loyalty

**No reviews for Chapter 2. Oh well.**

**Hope you like this one. And yes, here Squirrelflight falls in love with Ashfur. Don't like it, don't read it.**

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Squirrelflight lay in her nest. She couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. Her mate was gone, her father gone, her mother too busy. Only she and her sister remained, and she wasn't as close to her sister as she used to be. She felt utterly alone.

She let out another sigh. She had remembered what Leafpool had told her about the starry pawprints on the lake. She and Brambleclaw were supposed to be together forever. But that had changed. Her life had changed in a single swish of the claws. And she didn't want life if it would be like this.

"What are you thinking about?" Ashfur's familiar voice called from the entrance.

Squirrelflight sighed and turned away. Why did everyone want to talk to her? Couldn't they see that she only wanted one cat more than anyone else?

Ashfur padded over and lay down beside her and gently groomed her ruffled fur. Squirrelflight was too tired and upset to push him away. Instead, she closed her eyes and sank into a deep sleep, thankful that at least _someone_ cared about her.

* * *

Of all the ThunderClan cats, Stormfur was bothered the most about Tigerstar's takeover. Day and night, he was haunted by that day in the old territory, when Tigerstar's rogues had murdered his mentor, Stonefur. Brook noticed that.

"What's wrong," she asked, her familiar accent like music to his ears.

"Tigerstar. He murdered my mentor when I was still an apprentice. He was after half-Clan cats, and I'm afraid he still might be after me."

"How terrible," the Tribe she-cat murmured.

"And he will be after you too. Half-Clan is when you were born in another Clan, or when your parents are from different Clans."

"Cats shouldn't kill because you're different. Only what you do matters, not where you come from."

Stormfur purred his thanks. But their peace was interrupted when Dustpelt popped his head into the warriors' den.

"Tigerstar wishes to see Stormfur and Brook," he announced.

Stormfur got up, almost frozen with fear. He made his way to the leader's den, wondering what Tigerstar had in store for him.

"Stormfur," The dark tabby growled. "How nice to see you."

Their eyes locked, Stormfur felt a chilling sense of darkness behind his warm-colored amber eyes.

"Well, what did you call me for?"

"You and your pretty little Tribe she-cat are split three ways. The Tribe of Rushing Water, ThunderClan, RiverClan. But you can only have one loyalty. So what is it?"

"ThunderClan, of course." Stormfur said, hoping this wouldn't get him into any trouble.

"Then prove it. You and Brook will be joining us for a patrol this evening."

"Yes, Tigerstar."

The dark tabby flicked his tail to dismiss them.

Stormfur hoped that whatever would happen that evening, he would be able to stay in ThunderClan. He had no other home.


	4. Two of Tiger's Stripes

Sunpaw's loyalty- Well, I kind of wrote to past chapter 6, which will be a long one (for me, anyway) and Mistyfoot is kind of already dead by the. Sorry. But I have something planned for her. And about Dstpelt, I guess he's kind of scared of Tigerstar, but he's loyal to ThunderClan still, I think.

Rayshia- Tigerstar already has... And remember, ShadowClan is probably kind of ashamed, maybe, that they let Tigerstar take over, and they'll fight on the good side, though maybe just to keep themselves from being labeled as traitors.

Dragontama9511- Yeah, I have it halfway planned out... Okay, so I barely know where the story's going. But it's going! (I think) And yeah, I need to get a Gathering in there too, huh? But I've got a really important scene planned out, so maybe after.

* * *

Hawkfrost snuck through the undergrowth, waiting until Mistyfoot was in sight. He crept with the lightness of a shadow, making sure to stay downwind.

_Father, am I doing well?_ He asked the dark shadow that prowled through his dreams still, though Tigerstar had a body here in the forest.

_Yes, son. Your plan is working well._

He kept getting closer to his target, taking advantage of the shadows of the swishing grasses to hide his fur, just like the TigerClan cats in the elders' stories. Then, with the swiftness of the birds he was named after, he struck.

"Say hello to Bluestar for me!" He hissed, pinning her down.

"Hawkfrost! I thought you were loyal! Why..."

He bit down on her neck, and waited for her to stop moving.

_One pawstep closer, _Hawkfrost thought as he pulled Mistyfoot's body into the lake, _Closer to my dream..._

He caught a mouse and went back to the RiverClan camp. As he went in, Some RiverClan warriors were looking very confused.

"Hawkfrost, did you see Mistyfoot around?" Voletooth asked him. "She was on our patrol, and she said she'd catch up with us, but it's already past sunhigh and she's not back. Did you see her when you were out hunting?"

"No."

Leopardstar padded up to them.

"Did you see any sign of Mistyfoot when you were out?"

"No, Leopardstar."

"If she's not back by sunset, we'll search for her on the patrol." She went to talk to a group of warriors who were sitting in the shade.

Hawkfrost went to lie down in his nest in the warriors' den. As he groomed his brown fur, he thought with satisfaction that soon his nest would be under the highest willow.

* * *

It was dark. Brambleclaw floated somewhere between the waking world and StarClan. He had been there for... was it two days now? He couldn't tell. He hated the fact that Tigerstar had taken his body away, had banished him to this place. He tried and tried to reach for the world where his mate, his Clan, his life was, but he couldn't make it. Tigerstar was holding him back. Eventually, like all the times before, he gave up.

He just stayed there, wishing that something, anything would happen. And it did.

He felt a sudden feeling of warmth on his fur. He opened his eyes. His dark fur looked as if he had rolled in a pile of snow, or fallen into the stars and gotten their little silvery thorns caught in his fur.

"Am I in StarClan?" He thought aloud. But this place was different. It looked like StarClan should always be: Silvery, frost-covered, speckled with stars, but there was no moon. The trees were dark and scraggly, and only three or four stars were shining. And the silver was more tarnished and dull, like the sky at dawn after a storm.

Firestar came walking from behind a bush, his flame-colored pelt looking ragged and his eyes tired.

"Brambleclaw, is that you?" He asked.

"I think."

"Is Tigerstar leader yet?"

"I don't know. I was stuck somewhere for a long time."

"Oh."

There was silence for a few moments, then Brambleclaw said awkwardly, "I'm sorry I let you die, Firestar."

"That's alright. There was nothing you could do. I know I can trust you." The flame colored tom closed his eyes and then said, "And when this is over, I will be proud to greet you as Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan!" Fire burned in his green eyes.

Brambleclaw bowed his head, acknowledging the former leader's praise.

Just then, a snarl came from the bushes. Many cats that smelled of dark and damp and rotting things emerged into the clearing. The moon peeked out from the thin ragged clouds for a moment, shining on their claws and teeth. Firestar and Brambleclaw stood side by side, ready to defend themselves against the invading cats of the Dark Forest.


	5. Battle With WindClan

**Rayshia: Everyone feels like that, probably. And I will, but next chapter.**

**And thanks to everyone who's favorited my story, or however you spell it. And here's chapter 5!**

* * *

"Stormfur, Brook, Cloudtail, Brackenfur, Whitepaw, Spiderleg, Brightheart." Dustpelt was reeling off the list of warriors to go on patrol. Brightheart could see Stormfur bristling in fear. What was going to happen?

Cloudtail was sheathing and unsheathing his claws expectantly. Brightheart knew that there were too many cats here for a hunting patrol or even an ordinary border patrol. It hit her. Tigerstar was leading the cats into battle. His ambition was as strong as ever. They were going to ambush WindClan, she knew it. But Brook? She used to be a prey-hunter when she was with the Tribe.

She was transported to a day when Firestar and Graystripe came back to the camp with two RiverClan apprentices. Tigerstar had been about to murder them for being half-Clan. Now he was going to persecute half-Clan cats again. Then kittypets. And then he would drive out the crippled. Brightheart hated that word, but she accepted it, promising herself that that evening, she would show Tigerstar that she was still strong, not caring what his pack of dogs did to her.

Dustpelt flicked his tail, and they were off, through the trees and onto the springy grass of WindClan's moorland. They crossed the stream without hesitating.

Soon they came to the dip in the hills surrounded with bushes, where WindClan's camp was. Dustpelt gave the battle yowl and the ThunderClan cats plunged into the clearing.

For a heartbeat, the WindClan cats looked confused, then the clearing was filled with fighting cats.

Brightheart whirled around, hissing at a light brown tabby that was advancing from her blind side. She leapt at him, claws out, snagging at his fur as he dodged. She twisted around at him, giving him a hard bite on the foreleg before leaping into the bunch of cats in the center of the clearing. A whirlwind of claws and fur, Brightheart knocked down one cat after another until Onestar hopped onto the Tallrock and yowled for silence.

"ThunderClan! Why are you doing this? Why do you want to drive us out?"

Tigerstar stepped forward. "We do not want to drive you out. But we will if you do not meet our demands!"

Onestar bristled. "What are they?"

"You will give up your territory to us, and join the great TigerClan!"

"TigerClan?! Surely, Brambleclaw, you can't be following the foolish ambitions of your father!"

"I am not Brambleclaw! He is no more! I am Tigerstar!"

Onestar stepped back. "How..."

"You will meet our demands!" With a snarl, Tigerstar leaped onto the Tallrock. He pushed Onestar off. A crack was heard. Barkface rushed forward, sniffing the body.

"His neck is broken!" He announced. "He is on his way to StarClan!"

Some of the WindClan cats limped and staggered to their leader's body. Tigerstar watched them. After a bit, he said, "WindClan, you will be at the border stream at dawn."

He leaped off the boulder and led the ThunderClan cats back to the stony hollow, leaving the WindClan cats wondering just what hit them.


	6. StarClan Invaded!

This is my longest chapter yet! Thanks for waiting, guys. Enjoy!

* * *

Leapool felt unsettled by something. At sunset, the clouds seemed to be splashed with blood. Warriors of StarClan were falling out of Silverpelt. And now, she couldn't sleep, for her dreams were filled with blood, darkness and chaos. Just as she was about to lap up a dose of poppy seed, a voice echoed in her mind.

_Medicine cats, we need your help. Bring at least two able warriors to the Moonpool immediately. We are under attack._ The usual ominous echoing that followed a prophecy was cut short by a screech of pain. Leafpool shook her head, then ran into the warriors' den. Everyone stared at her.

"Everyone! I need you to accompany me to the Moonpool! StarClan is under attack!" When they still stared, Leafpool said, "I'm serious! StarClan is going to be driven out, and there is no more territory around the lake for them!"

They still looked at her with a blank expression on their faces. Leafpool rolled her eyes. Warriors were supposed to be _smart._ "Fine then. Sandstorm, Thornclaw, Ashfur, Squirrelflight, apprentices, everyone! Get ready _now,_ or suffer the consequences!"

Within a few minutes, the other fighting patrol was ready. They rushed up the hill, meeting up with all the other medicine cats. As they approached the Moonpool, Leafpool saw that it was stormy-looking, even though the night was clear. Littlecloud glanced at her, mouthing the words, _not good._ Leafpool nodded.

Then Barkface yowled, "Everyone, lap up the water." Leafpool only pretended to, then padded over to Mothwing as soon as everyone was asleep.

"Mothwing, please try!" She begged her friend. "We need you up there, you have warrior skills too!"

"But what if I can't dream?" Mothwing said, looking as frightened as a kit.

"You have to! For StarClan, for your Clanmates, for life as we know it! At least try, for me?"

Mothwing shook her head and started to walk away. "I'm sorry, Leafpool. I just can't."

Leafpool turned away and padded down to the water. She touched her nose to the starlit pool and fell asleep.

Blinking open her eyes, she saw the battle. Horrible cats she only recognized from stories, like Scourge, who murdered Tigerstar and tried to take over the forest, Darkstripe, who almost killed her friend Sorreltail, and even the mountain-cat Sharptooth were beating the starry warriors. She prayed to StarClan for good luck, and then flew into battle.

A huge cat with a collar of teeth pinned her down. She struggled, but he wouldn't let go. She felt the studded collar dig into the back of her neck... Then two cats with twin flame-colored coats flew at the attacker and drove him off.

Leafpool got up, catching her breath. She turned and saw Firestar and Squirrelflight standing side by side.

"Are you all right?" Her father asked her, looking younger and stronger than she had ever seen him.

"I'm fine."

He nodded and then ran right back into the battle.

"Leafpool, do you know where Feathertail might be?" Squirrelflight mewed. "We might need the Tribe of Endless Hunting's help."

"No. But we can go looking."

They ran through the starry forest. Soon, they came to a land filled with mist. Eyes were shining through the darkness.

A dark cat came to them. "Who are you and why have you come?" He asked.

"We are Leafpool and Squirrelflight, and we need help. Do you know where Feathertail might be?"

"I'm here." The beautiful silver she-cat padded up to them. "Do you need me?"

"We need your help. StarClan is under attack, and we need the Tribe's ancestors to help us drive off the attackers."

Feathertail looked uncertain. "I can try, but I don't know if they would help."

"Okay then. Please come if you can."

After saying goodbye to Feathertail, The two sisters ran back to StarClan's territory. Some of the forest cats had fallen to the ground and were fading away. But all that could fight were still battling fiercely.

Leafpool spotted Bluestar, Mistyfoot and Stonefur taking Sharptooth together. She leaped at the mountain-cat, clawing at it. Then quick as a rabbit, she darted away. Eventually, they tired out the giant cat and it ran back into the shadows.

Then, another group of BloodClan cats arrived, with their long reinforced claws sharpened sharper than the sharpest thorn. Leafpool found herself battling a light brown tabby. She clawed and bit, but then the cat prepared to give the death blow. She closed her eyes, then...

A loud battle yowl filled the clearing. The fighting stopped for a moment, and Leafpool saw the Tribe's ancestors in all their shining glory arrive to drive off the invaders. And then the battle raged on, harder and faster than she had ever thought possible.

Leafpool escaped to the edge, and she spotted a dark tabby pelt, the cat was halfway transparent, but Leafpool was sure that it could only be two cats: Brambleclaw or Tigerstar. Then she recognized Yellowfang, the former ThunderClan medicine cat, calling to her.

She hurried over to the gray she-cat. "Yes?"

"Okay, Leafpool, all the medicine cats, StarClan or not, are taking care of the cats back in the forest. The StarClan cats will come back when they recover, but to all the others, the wounds are real."

"So... I have to take care of all the cats in all the five Clans?"

"Everyone who fought in the battle. This will be a greater challenge than any medicine cat has ever faced before."

"I know, and I'm ready."

"Good." The wise she-cat nodded and led Leafpool to a sheltered clearing with a starlit pool in the middle.

"Jump in."

Leafpool obeyed and leaped. To her surprise, she didn't get wet at all. She was just falling... And falling...

She woke up again at the edge of the Moonpool. The scent of blood and fear and bitter herbs was everywhere. Leafpool quickly darted to the first wounded cat she could see. It was Whitethroat, the ShadowClan warrior that had died on the Thunderpath in the old forest. She quickly sniffed him over.

As she was looking for cobwebs, she felt a cat nudge her. It was Mothwing, her paw plastered with sticky white.

"Even though I cannot help StarClan," the golden she-cat said, "I can help save lives here in the forest."

Leafpool gave her a swift lick on the ear and took the cobwebs. Then she turned back to the wounded cats. Sure, she could only fight with marigold and poppy seed, but she would do her best.


	7. The Other Three

Alright

Alright. Here's chapter seven. And yes, I made up the part about Weaselfur being Nightcloud's brother.

Crowfeather was licking his wounds clean, thinking about what just happened. WindClan was no more. They would have to join Tigerstar. But even with all that, he had a tiny reason to be happy, a pinprick of light in darkness as thick as fur. He wouldn't break the warrior code so badly by seeing Leafpool. Or would he? She was, after all, a medicine cat.

"Weaselfur is dead!" came the call. Crowfeather went to say goodbye to the young tom, who had been Nightcloud's brother.

He whispered, "May StarClan welcome you" into his unhearing ears, and turned when he heard a sigh of sadness behind him. He went to comfort Nightcloud.

This was a sad time. WindClan was broken, forced to be prisoners, and half the Clan was dead anyway, so they had to join Thunder- No, TigerClan. Tigerstar was smart, sure, but selfish. He was only a warrior at one time, then dead, betrayed by his own "ally", and now leader. Cats couldn't come back from the dead!

It was already moonhigh. Crowfeather nudged his his mate, and together they went to bury Whitetail.

Hawkfrost, deputy of RiverClan, had a lot of planning to do. He had to keep up with his duties as deputy, and still have time to plan, and meet up with his father's wishes. This was more tiring than the last time he was deputy, because in the old forest, Leopardstar had asked some of the senior warriors to help him. Now he was on his own.

But he was still getting ever closer to his goal. Now all he had to do was kill Leopardstar... And maybe Mothwing, she might tell.

Before, Hawkfrost wouldn't even think about killing his own flesh and blood, but Tigerstar had turned him into an ambitious murderer, his true son. But Hawkfrost didn't know. He was too wrapped up in his little fantasy of him being leader of HawkClan to think, why am I doing this? Why am I killing for my silly ambition? Why...

But all the goodness in his heart had died out long ago. Now all that was left was cold strength in the form of ambition.

Hawkfrost, deputy of RiverClan, was a bad, bad cat. He got up, finally satisfied with his choices for patrols, and called out to his Clan, "Warriors! Gather around the Highwillow to be assigned to patrols!"

Tawnypelt was on sunset patrol along the border with ThunderClan. It was just her and Rowanclaw. Two days ago, a patrol had left for the Moonpool, and only one cat had come back, it was Littlecloud, getting herbs from his den. When Blackstar asked what happened, he said that there had been a battle in StarClan's territory and that he had to heal their warriors and those of all four Clans. But nobody else had come back, and patrols had dwindled to two cats each.

Rownclaw signaled with his tail to get in the bushes. Soon, Tawnypelt scented a ThunderClan patrol. Three cats, no Brambleclaw. For half a moon, now, she hadn't scented Brambleclaw along this border. For a few days, she thought that he was just patrolling the other border, but now... Where could her brother be? Was he sick? Wounded? Or... Dead? She could barely hold herself back from running across the border to ask the ThunderClan cats. But the Gathering was in less than a quarter moon, and Blackstar would kill her if she did that.

Finally, after renewing the scent markers and catching a squirrel, the patrol moved on.

"Come on, Tawnypelt. Let's get moving. Blackstar will start to wonder."

She got up to follow Rowanclaw. But something still bothered her...


	8. Uncertainty

**Yes! I probably surprised you all with a new chapter! This will be my only chapter from this story for a while, sorry, but I'm stuck on the next chapter which is... The Gathering! Which should have happened a while ago, I know. But I might post a new story which is mostly written and will update fast. The summary is in my profile; tell me if you like it in your review.**

Ashfoot led the long procession of WindClan cats, Tornear and Webfoot along the sides, Crowfeather bringing up the rear. Crowfeather walked silently, head down, still feeling the pain of scratches from ThunderClan. Onestar had said they no longer should depend on ThunderClan, but they had been more-or-less allies since before he was born. It was hard to believe that this had happened.

Finally, after a long, hard journey, they made it to the stream where it poured into the lake. The sky was just starting to be edged with pink. Dawn was coming, TigerClan was coming, WindClan's final hour was here. The cats settled down by the border markers, curling up for warmth. Finally, a yowl that was all too familiar rang out.

"WindClan! We have come!"

The sun started to rise, marking the outlines of Tigerstar and his patrol. They splashed through the stream.

The WindClan cats started to get up, shaking to get the dew off their fur. After a while, Tigerstar signaled for the WindClan cats to cross the stream.

Crowfeather hissed angrily as a random apprentice almost tripped him. Nightcloud quietly soothed him but he ignored her and continued through the cold stream. Once the WindClan cats made it to the ThunderClan side, they were led through the thick, sun-blocking trees, around dense undergrowth and through the old leaves and finally to the camp. From the entrance, Crowfeather could see the rocky face where Leafpool had almost fallen, but he saved her, that rainy night...

No! He shouldn't think about that! He was a prisoner, and she was a medicine cat... _Why must StarClan do this to me?!_

Across the camp, Leafpool spotted a familiar dark gray pelt, and those eyes, those eyes that made her burn with anger, and... Was that love? The forbidden emotion for a medicine cat, a feeling that she knew would burn her to ashes, like before...

She let out a deep breath, and sheathed the claws that had unwillingly slipped out. She went back to sorting old leaves, trying to ignore that dark grey pelt, and those eyes, the ones that belonged to that tom, the tom that almost led her over the edge...

She hoped that she could keep her balance on the treacherous cliff called Romance.

Sorreltail was lying in her nest in the nursery, thinking again about what Leafpool had said about leaving the Clans. Her kits were almost ready to be apprentices, but leaf-fall was coming, and then bitter cold leaf-bare. They had to leave in a moon. But where would they go? Would StarClan go with them? Or would they just be a band of loners, wandering in the darkness without a home...

She was distracted by little Cinderkit leaping, missing, and crashing into her side. "Cinderkit, be careful. You're going to get hurt that way!"

"But we're playing, mommy!"

"Well don't play rough." She put the fluffy little furball back next to her brothers and sisters, where she jumped right back into the tussle.

She decided that she would think about it later, maybe talk to Brackenfur. Right now she had mischievous kits to watch.

Just across the camp, Squirrelflight's feelings were in turmoil. Ashfur wasn't just an old crush anymore. He wasn't an old friend either. They were mates, maybe. But every night, she dreamed about the other dark tabby, the one that had been banished to the edge of nowhere with no hope of coming back, the dark tabby that she still loved and would always love, even if he had gone to StarClan.


End file.
